Ch.6

The gun went off. Out of instinct, Derek reached out, grabbing Meredith and pulling her to the ground, his body covering hers, protecting hers.

She was shaking.

"Are you ok?" Derek asked.

She didn't respond.

"Meredith."

The doors flew open. Burke was the first one in, followed by Bailey, Izzie, and Christina.

"What happened?" Burke asked running over to Jonathon.

"Meredith?" Christina ran over to her friend.

"I think she's in shock, she's unresponsive," Derek said.

"Meredith, look at me," Christina took her friends hand. "Look at me."

"We need to get her out of here," Izzie said kneeling down beside her.

"I don't believe it, this guy still has a pulse," Burke said.

"What?" Bailey ran over beside him.

"It's weak, but its there…it looks like he nicked his skull…if we operate now, we might be able to save him."

"Izzie, Christina, help us get him out of here, we need to move him next door."

"But-"Christina began to protest. She wasn't going to leave her friend behind, not in this condition.

"It's ok, I'll help," Alex yelled running in. "There's a bed out in the hall, we need to get him there and we can wheel him the rest of the way."

"I'll help," Izzie said standing up. She turned to Christina.

"Take care of her."

Christina nodded.

She and Derek watched as the moved Jonathon out the room. The both looked away at the blood pile that was still on the floor beside them.

"Jesus, she's covered in his blood," Christina said examining her. "We need to get her cleaned up, hopefully that will snap her out of it."

Derek stood up, cradling Meredith in his arms.

"She'll be ok," he said, reassuring Christina.

Reassuring him self.

Just then, Addison ran in.

"God Derek, are you alright?"

"I'm ok." He said. "But we need to get her out of here."

Addison nodded.

She hated the sight of Meredith Grey in his arms.

But now was not the time to be jealous.

"Let me help," she offered. "Christina and I can get her cleaned up. You should go, see if you can help Burke."

Derek looked at Christina.

"We can take it from here Dr. Shepard."

He sighed.

"Let me at least get her to the shower so I know she's safe."

They girls nodded as he walked out of the room. They quickly followed.

They reached the shower. Derek gently sat her down.

He cupped her cheek in his hand.

"I'll be right back," he said, hoping for a response.

Still none.

"Page me if something happens, anything at all," he told Christina as he walked towards the door.

She nodded.

"Derek," Addison called out before he left.

He stopped and faced her.

She walked over to him, wrapping his arms around her neck.

"I'm so happy you're ok."

He smiled, weakly, before pulling back.

There she was, his wife, standing before him.

She had no idea that only moments earlier he had betrayed her.

Had offered to risk her life in order to save Meredith's.

The thought made him sick, the guilt crushing his body, forcing the air to leave his lungs.

"Thanks."

It was all he could manage to get out. He leaned in and kissed her cheek before turning and walking away.

She watched him leave. Once he was gone she closed her eyes.

Catching her breath, she ran back over to Meredith.

"Let's get her in the shower," she said, helping Christina lift her.

They managed to walk her over. She reached up, turning the water on. It felt cool against their skins as the water ran down Meredith's face, the blood pouring off, swirling into the drain below them.

"I'm sorry Addison" Christina said. "What I said earlier…I was out if line."

Addison shook her head.

"Don't apologize. It was the first honest thing anyone has said to me since I moved here."

"I don't understand."

Addison leaned Meredith's head back, rinsing the blood from her hair.

The truth is, she had heard what was said in that OR.

She had heard who he had chosen.

"You were right. He doesn't love me. He loves her."

Christina didn't say anything. She wasn't sure how to respond.

Derek ran down the hall looking into every OR, trying to find them.

When he did, he crashed through the door.

"What's his condition?"

Bailey looked up at him shocked.

"Dr. Shepard, you don't need to be in here."

"Just tell me what his condition is."

She sighed.

"Well, we've been able to stop the bleeding. There's still massive swelling in his brain. I don't know what else we can do for him at this point."

Burke nodded in agreement.

"I think now, we just need to move him to ICU , keep an eye on him."

"He has to be ok," Derek said.

"Ok, spill it," Bailey said, wrapping his head in gauze. "Why do you want this bastard to live? Do you not remember that only moments earlier he was holding you and Grey hostage?"

"Meredith…Dr. Grey...thought we could help him. Look at him, he can't be more than 24, 25 years old. He has his whole life still ahead of him."

"Yea, if he wakes up, he has a nice life looking for him in jail."

Derek flinched.

"Who called the cops?"

Burke and Bailey looked at each other.

"Because he said no cops…I was just wondering who called them anyway."

"It doesn't matter," Burke said. "You guys are ok. That's the important thing."

Derek stepped back.

"Ok. Fine. Don't tell me. IF there's nothing I can do here, I'm going to go check on Dr. Grey."

He left the OR.

Bailey gave a sarcastic smile.

"Well you gotta love the drama."

Addison was in the hallway on her cell phone when Derek ran up.

"How's Meredith doing?"

She put her finger up to tell him to hold on.

"Ok. Great. Thanks so much."

She hung up her phone.

"She's better. Christina is in there with her right now. I think she's snapping out of it."

"Good," he said rubbing his eyes, his body exhausted.

She didn't say anything else.

He looked at her.

"Who were you on the phone with?"

"Oh, she said, twirling the phone nervously in her hand. "The airport."

"The airport?"

"Yea." She bit her lip. "I think it's time for me to go back to New York Derek."

He stood still.

"Why?"

She reached out and grabbed his hand.

"I can't do this anymore Derek. I can't pretend that we have this happy marriage and that we're some perfect couple."

"Addison…" his voice trailed off. He was at a loss for words.

She leaned up and kissed him, softly. He wrapped his arms around her.

"I know you love me Derek," she whispered. "But if you had to choose…I know you would choose her."

He pulled back, looking into her eyes.

"You heard me earlier…didn't you?"

She nodded.

"Oh god, Addison…I'm so sorry."

"It's ok Derek. Really. I understand. She was hurt and you just wanted to get her out of there."

"There's no excuse for what I did." His voice cracked. "I betrayed you."

She sighed.

"Well then I guess we're even," she whispered.

He leaned against the wall.

She looked down at her watch.

"I need to go find Richard…tell him I'm going back to New York. I'll pack up my stuff tonight…I'll send for the rest once I'm settled"

He nodded as she began to walk away.

"I really do love you Addison."

She smiled.

"I know. But you crave her. I'm not going to stand in the way anymore."

He smiled, looking at his feet. When he looked back up, she was gone.

"What a day," he laughed to himself.

"You're telling me."

He turned around. Meredith and Christina were standing there.

"Hey," he said. "How are you feeling?"

Meredith smiled.

"I'm ok. Are you ok?"

"Yea," he smiled. "I'm ok."

Christina coughed.

"Well…this isn't awkward or anything…as much fun as it is to be the third wheel, I'm going to go see how our little criminal is doing."

She walked away. Meredith smiled.

"I guess I should thank you."

"Thank me? For what?"

"Well, for starters, saving me life."

Derek laughed, reaching over and pulling her against his body, the smell of lavender flooding his noise.

He breathed in deeply and smiled.

"Well, if you must know the truth, it was for purely selfish reasons."

She leaned back and punched him playfully on the arm.

"And what exactly does that mean?"

"Well…if you must know…the thought of losing you was just too much to bear. If something ever happened to you…my whole life would be over…"

She smiled.

"So you see, I was really saving my own life by saving yours. Purely selfish, what can I say?"

She laughed.

"You're a jackass. But for some reason, I can't get enough."

He grabbed her hand and kissed it.

"Come on Romeo," she said pulling him down the hall. "Let's go see how he's doing."

They walked down the hall, hand in hand, laughing the entire way.

Later that night, they were back at her place. Derek had just fallen asleep. Meredith snuck out of the room, down to the kitchen. She picked up the phone and dialed.

"It's 3 in the morning. Someone better be dead or else I'm hanging up."

"Christina, it's me." She whispered.

"Meredith? Look, I know you had a bad day, but I need my sleep…."

Meredith laughed.

"Listen, I needed to tell you something. Do you remember this morning how I told you something big was going to happen, that I had a feeling?"

"Mer, you're killing me."

"Seriously, do you remember?"

"Of course I remember. And something big did happen. You and Dr. McDreamy were taken hostage. Am I the only one who remembers?"

"No, that's the thing. I thought that was the big thing that was going to happen, but it wasn't. Something else did."

"Well, tell me so I can go back to sleep."

She smiled.

"I finally got his heart."

Christina didn't say anything.

"Christina? Are you there?"

"You called me at three in the morning to tell me this?"

"Well, I was excited! I had to tell someone."

"Goodnight Meredith. I'll see you in about 3 hours at the hospital and when I do, I'm going to kill you."

She hung up the phone, laughing.

"Hey, what are you doing up?"

Derek was standing in the doorway of the kitchen.

"Did I wake you?

"NO," he said walking towards her. "I heard you get up, so I followed you."

"Oh…so you just heard what I told Christina?"

He nodded, laughing.

"Well that's a little embarrassing," she said.

"Meredith, look at me."

He placed his hand on her shoulder.

"You've had my heart from day one. Don't ever doubt that."

She leaned up and kissed him. He ran his fingers through her long, soft hair.

She pulled away.

"Come on, let's go back to bed."

She smiled as she led the man she loved back upstairs. They lay back down on her bed, wrapping their arms around each other

She was glad her feeling has come true.

She brushed the hair away from his eyes before she closed her eyes, drifting off to sleep.

Tomorrow was another day. Anything could happen.

But she had Derek, One hundred percent. He was finally hers, and willing to be hers.

And that's all she needed to know.

THE END

A/N: Hey guys! Thanks so much for reading and reviewing this story! I had a blast writing it and I loved the feedback. I'm sorry if this story feels like it ends kind of suddenly, but to be honest, I felt like if I kept going I might drag in on for too long. Don't worry though, I have another story up my sleeve that I'm working on and I'll start posting it as soon as possible! (and of course, it's a Meredith/Derek story...don't you just love them?"

Thanks again!